Success and disappointment

Success tonight: Adding an external antenna on the roof of my car dramatically increased my reception with the cell phone. No second thoughts anymore. The phone stays. I should be able to make calls just about anyplace I go around here, as long as I'm in my car.

Disappointment tonight: My new BandFlex home gym arrived today. After lugging all 140 lbs. of it upstairs and preparing to put it together, I discovered that I only have 15 of the 16 pulleys needed. The box was all beaten up when it arrived, with the bottom practically falling off (it did fall off after I opened the box), and two holes that were more than big enough for a pulley to fall out of. This wouldn't be a problem had the pulley bag not also been ripped open and at least three pulleys loose in the box when I got it. Presumably the sixteenth pulley is somewhere between here and the warehouse... with all likelihood in a UPS truck somewhere.

So, I'll need to find out how to get a replacement. In theory I can ship the whole thing back to them, which would be stupid. I'll never get it back in the box (which is destroyed from its trip out to me, anyhow), and I'm not even considering paying the shipping, regardless. With any luck the company will just send me the part I need with no hassle, but I've dealt with enough customer "service" people that I'm not holding my breath.

More on this later.